1979-2006 (old) German Spaceflight Exhibition Morgenröthe-Rautenkranz
Section 4 - First German Spaceflight - Panel 2
Sigmund Jähn - Interkosmos Flight 1978
Images and documents covering the first flight of a cosmonaut from Germany, Sigmund Jähn. The mission of Soyuz 31 to the space station Salyut 6 started on Aug 26 1978 and ended with a safe landing of the Soyuz 29 capsule on Sep 09 1978.
The headline reads Sigmund Jähn - first German in space - Interkosmos Flight : 26.8 - 3.9.1978.
The images were cut out and rectified from photographs I took at the exhibition. Most of these images, however, were widely publicised in the aftermath of the mission, so I will try to exchange some by higher quality pictures ...
Sigmund Jähn - first German cosmonaut
The four candidates for the first joint spaceflight USSR-GDR in July 1978.
From the left: V. Gorbatko, E. Köllner, W. Bykowski and S. Jähn
Rehearsing an emergency splashdown
The launch vehicle carrying the Soyuz 31 spaceship on its way to the launch pad.
In the training capsule
Crew of the orbital station : Bykovski, Jähn (front), Kovalyonok and Ivanchenko (rear)
Lauch of Soyuz 31 on Aug 26 1978
Farewell to Earth. One last interview on the elevator stairways.
Kovalyonok (left) and Jähn aboard the Salyut 6 space station
Soyuz 31 immediately before erection of the rocket. The SAS rescue system is visible on top of the launch vehicle.
An impressive view from the space station
Mauretania desert range, image taken Aug 31 1978
Cloud cover above the oceans
Precise and in-time touchdown in the semi-desert of Kasachstan
Salyut 6 and Soyuz 31 photographed from onboard Soyuz 29
Trace of the orbital complex, image taken Aug 27 1978 20:34 by the Rodewisch observatory (East Germany)
Soyuz 29 capsule, currently on display at the German Museum, Munich
The traditional signing of the landed capsule
Soyuz capsule
Heartfelt welcome at his birthplace Morgenröthe-Rautenkranz
Map of start and landing places
Onboard navigation map Salyut 6 - Soyuz 29 - Soyuz 31
Chronology of the mission
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Chronology of the landing
Philatelistica (GDR) commemorating the Interkosmos Flight
signed by Jähn and Bykovski
signed by Jähn and Bykovski
signed by Jähn and Bykovski
signed by Jähn
signed by Jähn
Up : Section 4 - First German in Space | Next : Showcase Jähn's Flight 1978